1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for use in connection with obtaining biopsy specimens such as, for example, from the breast, thyroid, solid tumors, bone marrow, liver, kidney, pleura, synovia, and other soft tissue.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, there has not been developed any generally acceptable and workable biopsy device which lends itself to neatly and relatively painlessly removing a biopsy tissue sample from a patient and at the same time providing easy removability of the specimen from the device without endangering the patient or the quality of the extracted specimen.
Among the biopsy devices disclosed to date are those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,541,542; 3,628,524; 3,800,783; 3,893,445; and 3,913,566. Such prior art devices have employed methods for extracting specimens such as, for example, by means of rotation of a needle device, by means of a loop of cutting thread disposed on a cannula, by means of a hooked blade arranged within a removable specimen gathering sheath, or by means of a cutting tube disposed within a hollow handle, amongst other things. Such devices, however, have not satisfactorily met the demand for a safe biopsy instrument which is capable of producing satisfactory specimens.
The present invention eliminates the disadvantages and shortcomings attendant all of these conventional prior art devices by providing a biopsy apparatus having an improved construction to reduce trauma to the patient and to provide a high quality tissue specimen without endangering either the patient or the extracted specimen.